It depends on what you are trying to do - You need to clarify expectations and intent.
1. IF this is for CQB and night defense…..Going 'monster' Lumen is going to be your weakness as it'll take numerous minutes (or more if your eyes are ……… All about the rods) for your eyes to readjust to the darkness after your initial burst, Sure you just lit up the house but……….Also, EVERYONE's lumen count is radically different in how they are measured or 'stretched'. There's a reason why persons stick to 80-200 lumen, and the tint dependent upon the manuf. once again for true output.
2. Spill - do you want a thrower or a spiller? Thrower is going to have a narrow hot spot and less spill, not ideal for CQB/house clearing; and the spiller will be good indoors but blend out when outdoors……
3. Size and Battery -- you want AA, 18650's, or ??? i'd strongly rec 18650 rechargeables (for example 2 surefire 123As make an 18650 basically), or even AA like Eneloops
4. Function / modes - single end cap, end cap and side switch, end cap with double button for modes, end cap and front switch, end cap and head twist for modes, etc….
The best lights - IMO - are the ones most people don't know about………… Eagletac, Fenix, Klarus, Nitecore, Thrunite, Jetbeam, Olight, 4 Sevens Maelstroms/Quarks,
Sure, you can go Surefire or Streamlight, but if you want the power and the beam / Full pkg, you can do far better with models from the above brands. All my opinion, but its like running STP in your car or using Armor All cuz that is all you see or know or are told.
My Rec's to research (and can use Candlepower forums to offset my Rant here is you want data):
Thrunite TN11s (clearancing out, was down to like $40 buck, huge deal IMO, but side switch for modes, nice light though…..good beam, not as smooth of blend as the Klarus XT11, but a bit better throwing)
Klarus XT11 ; http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=63&lge=en
Fenix TK22 ; http://www.fenixlight.com/Productas.aspx?cid=1
Jetbeam BC25 or RR series, http://www.jetbeamlighting.com/index.php?main_page=index
4 Sevens Quark 123 squared, or Turbo ; http://www.foursevens.com/products/flashlights/
Olight M20Sx or similar ; http://olightworld.com/product_category/flashlight/
EagleTac T20, T25 series lights (http://www.eagletac-usa.com/products/productList.aspx?uid=1-24)
Terralux?
Sunwayman?
Charger - Latest v2 Nitecore 4 place 18650 Charger
Batteries - PROTECTED Circuit Panasonic, Orbtronics, AW, newest Nitecores, (use caution and mostly avoid ultra fires), Most of the best cells are panasonics………
Resources :
1. Candlepower forums
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rcOs_5jL0o&list=PL084D0F0F60B1C690
Marshall from going gear has plenty of short comp vids to research a bit, The key is finding the review WITH the latest CREE emitter…..the XM-L2 or newer model if that is out yet.
1. IF this is for CQB and night defense…..Going 'monster' Lumen is going to be your weakness as it'll take numerous minutes (or more if your eyes are ……… All about the rods) for your eyes to readjust to the darkness after your initial burst, Sure you just lit up the house but……….Also, EVERYONE's lumen count is radically different in how they are measured or 'stretched'. There's a reason why persons stick to 80-200 lumen, and the tint dependent upon the manuf. once again for true output.
2. Spill - do you want a thrower or a spiller? Thrower is going to have a narrow hot spot and less spill, not ideal for CQB/house clearing; and the spiller will be good indoors but blend out when outdoors……
3. Size and Battery -- you want AA, 18650's, or ??? i'd strongly rec 18650 rechargeables (for example 2 surefire 123As make an 18650 basically), or even AA like Eneloops
4. Function / modes - single end cap, end cap and side switch, end cap with double button for modes, end cap and front switch, end cap and head twist for modes, etc….
The best lights - IMO - are the ones most people don't know about………… Eagletac, Fenix, Klarus, Nitecore, Thrunite, Jetbeam, Olight, 4 Sevens Maelstroms/Quarks,
Sure, you can go Surefire or Streamlight, but if you want the power and the beam / Full pkg, you can do far better with models from the above brands. All my opinion, but its like running STP in your car or using Armor All cuz that is all you see or know or are told.
My Rec's to research (and can use Candlepower forums to offset my Rant here is you want data):
Thrunite TN11s (clearancing out, was down to like $40 buck, huge deal IMO, but side switch for modes, nice light though…..good beam, not as smooth of blend as the Klarus XT11, but a bit better throwing)
Klarus XT11 ; http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=63&lge=en
Fenix TK22 ; http://www.fenixlight.com/Productas.aspx?cid=1
Jetbeam BC25 or RR series, http://www.jetbeamlighting.com/index.php?main_page=index
4 Sevens Quark 123 squared, or Turbo ; http://www.foursevens.com/products/flashlights/
Olight M20Sx or similar ; http://olightworld.com/product_category/flashlight/
EagleTac T20, T25 series lights (http://www.eagletac-usa.com/products/productList.aspx?uid=1-24)
Terralux?
Sunwayman?
Charger - Latest v2 Nitecore 4 place 18650 Charger
Batteries - PROTECTED Circuit Panasonic, Orbtronics, AW, newest Nitecores, (use caution and mostly avoid ultra fires), Most of the best cells are panasonics………
Resources :
1. Candlepower forums
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rcOs_5jL0o&list=PL084D0F0F60B1C690
Marshall from going gear has plenty of short comp vids to research a bit, The key is finding the review WITH the latest CREE emitter…..the XM-L2 or newer model if that is out yet.
I've not had it mounted as a weaponlight, but I have used a Streamlight Protac HL to illuminate target critters at night. It will easily illuminate varmints at 100'--and I once used it to illuminate the front sight of my Benelli and a skunk moving laterally across my field of view at roughly 75' (score: Federal 00 Buck, 1; skunk, 0).
Unfortunately, they use the crappiest of the crappy "hook and loop" fasteners to close the flap on their belt holsters, so my Protac is now someone else's.
Unfortunately, they use the crappiest of the crappy "hook and loop" fasteners to close the flap on their belt holsters, so my Protac is now someone else's.
both but leaning heavy on the inside.
60 lumens is perfect for inside stuff. 120 max. Otherwise, you get a lot of feedback from interior walls. It will blind you.
I carry Fenix.
LD22 and a PD35. The PD 35 is amazing...for the price. as a matter of fact, fenix is affordable all-around.
The PD35 850 Lumens, takes 1 li-on batt.
http://www.fenixlighting.com/products/fenix-pd35-led-flashlight.aspx
LD22 and a PD35. The PD 35 is amazing...for the price. as a matter of fact, fenix is affordable all-around.
The PD35 850 Lumens, takes 1 li-on batt.
http://www.fenixlighting.com/products/fenix-pd35-led-flashlight.aspx
The WML is 200 lumens and to me is not distracting or over powered for inside. Very light weight and can be had for $110-120. I use mine mounted on the top rail and activates intuitively using a c-grip.
I have the 120 lumen version of the WML and it's my go to indoor light. I'm running a surefire scout with a vampire head for my outdoor AR.
Sorry dude but this is crap. 60 lumens is barely enough to find your car keys
I recently did a low-light vehicle CQB class in Texas. While waiting for darkness to set in our class was in a classroom doing presentations and talking about gear and various types of lights. We did this for about 15 minutes with the lights off so that our eyes could acclimate to the darkness. With the class gathered along an facing the front interior wall a P3X Fury (1000 lumens) was shined directly onto that wall in front of us. No one was blinded, debilitated, lit on fire or in need of a white cane during or immediately following this event.
The first time I thought I needed a gun in earnest it was in the dark trying to clear the basement of the range I worked at following a break-in. All I had at the time was Surefire's original E2d You could say that this was a formative event discovering that "60 blinding lumens" just wouldn't cut it.
After doing a multi-day shoothouse course last year with a 500 lumen Surefire P2X Fury on my carbine I had a few more 'lightbulb moments'. In addition to four days we also spent three nights doing hits on the house in complete darkness, often with rain, snow and at a few points lots of gun smoke too. This experience taught me I want all of the light that I can physically fit onto my gun. While at the class I was talking to Steve Fisher who was there as an assistant instructor and he said something to me that had a whole lot of merit. Steve said that with the increasing technology and the lowering of the cost:lumen ratio the argument could be made that if you do not have a light that can match the reach or effective ballistic envelope of your weapon then you are probably doing it wrong.
Structures and pretty much any type of surface contained within them that isn't a mirror will 'EAT' light, for lack of a better description. With this in mind it behooves you to take all that you can get as a starting point. The bigger question is how the lens should apportion the light nd whether it's est to have lots of throw with a narrow beam, lots of spill for better situational awareness (a very big deal in the dark) or some combination. I like the third option and this is why I recommend the P2X Fury to anyone who will listen. Specifically, I recommend the EAG flavor available only from Bravo Company due to it having a single-stage emitter and a clickie tailcap.
Surefire is one of the very few flavors of Kool-Aid I actually drink. "Best cost" and "best value" are rarely the same thing.
EAG Shoothouse, April2013
Darkness, rain, gun smoke and LIGHTNING!!
YMMV,
Ek
